Rover 3.5 V8 Engine Build

[Shaw]

I’m looking for some advice, I building a 3.5 V8 with a later block from a Range Rover and a P6 front timing cover with an uprated high capacity high pressure conversion. My questions are how does the later block get an oil supply to the timing chain and would the oil supply from the front cover conversion be high enough to warrant fitting valve stem oil seals to the later heads which will be fitted to the build which have bullet guides, any help grateful appreciate.

[GDCobra]

By a P6 cover I'm assuming you mean the one with a rope front seal?

A later cover, SD1 for instnace, would be beneficial as it has a better front seal, higher capacity oil pump (I know you said you've taken care of that) and drives the later, electronic distributor (maybe that can be modified too).

IIRC the timing chain is splash fed from oil in the crank case, one 'upgrade' is to drill holes from the lifter gallery area to the rear of the cam sprocket (Can't quite recall if this is new holes or enlarging existing ones) so oil drains that way, gets spun off by the gear and lubes the chain and gears. I also recall it's possible to take a feed from the pump and tap it into an area adjacent to the chain so it is fed directly. Not sure if it's really necessary though, probably depends what you're using the engine for.

I can't understand why you wouldn't fit valve stem oil seals, sounds like you are already changing the guides so it's a no brainer to fit 'proper' valve seals. Why would you not do that?

Good luck with your build.

[Ian Anderson]

https://www.lrukforums.com/threads/the- ... ag.292606/

I had a John Eales motor in my GT40 and he had installed an additional oil feed in braided hose to the distributor to aid in lubrication and the flow from there would also lubricate the timing chain.

I have no pictures and sold the car 3 plus years ago…. The above link shows the sort of braided hose but not the distributor attachment

[GDCobra]

https://www.lrukforums.com/threads/the- ... ag.292606/

I had a John Eales motor in my GT40 and he had installed an additional oil feed in braided hose to the distributor to aid in lubrication and the flow from there would also lubricate the timing chain.

I have no pictures and sold the car 3 plus years ago…. The above link shows the sort of braided hose but not the distributor attachment

Ahh, that's the mod' I was thinking about, I now recall it is mainly for the distributor drive rather than the timing chain although, , as you say it does probably help out there too.

[Shaw]

Thanks for the information, I have an oil seal conversion that fits into the P6 front cover to replace the rope seal.The engine is an MGB type hence the P6 front cover, I know the early blocks had the 2 holes from the lifter gallery but this later one doesn’t hence my question,I’ll look Ito it further and the distributor oil feed, the engine is to be used for rallying.

Even with the pump upgrade, I wasn’t sure if it would get enough oil to the top of the engine, as a few articles I’ve read say the oil is in short supply at the top in the early engines, but will take your advice and fit them